Apparatus for removing weeds

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for removing weeds or other plants comprising a handle having a foot operated lever pivotally coupled to one end. A plurality of tines are connected to the front end of the lever for insertion into the ground for removing weeds or other plants as the front end of the lever is pivoted upward. The tines extend through apertures formed through a clean off plate which is adapted to slide on the tines between a rearward position near the front end of the lever and a forward position near the front ends of the tines. As the handle is pivoted forward, the clean off plate is moved forward by the end of the handle to clean weeds, dirt, etc. from the tines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a lawn tool for removing plants such as weeds or grass from the ground.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and effective apparatus for removing plants from the ground.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a plant removing apparatus comprising a foot operated lever pivotally coupled to a handle and which has a plurality of tines attached to its front end for insertion into the ground for removing plants.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide such an apparatus having a clean off plate slidable on the tines and which is moved forward by a portion of the handle as the handle is pivoted forward to remove plants, dirt, etc. from the tines.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus of the present invention illustrating its lever in a start or ready position such that its tines may be inserted into the ground.

FIG. 2 illustrates the apparatus of FIG. 1 with its handle pivoted forward.

FIG. 3 illustrates the under side of the lever of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with its lever in a start or ready position such that its tines may be inserted into the ground.

FIG. 5 is a side view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 with its handle pivoted to a position to move the clean off plate forward.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings, the apparatus of the present invention is identified at 21. It comprises a handle 23 having the ends 25A and 25B of a shaped metal member 25 connected thereto at a point above its lower end 23A. Connection of by way of bolts 27. The ends 25A and 25B flange outward defining two spaced apart support arms 25C and 25D which extend below the lower end 23A of the handle 23. Arms 25C and 25D are joined at their lower ends by a transverse support portion 25E.

Located between the arms 25C and 25D and pivotally coupled thereto by way of a bolt 29 is a lever 31. The lever 31 is an inverted pan shaped member comprising a top plate 31A having two sides 31B and 31C, a front end 31D and a rear end 31E extending therefrom. A wooden block 33 is located and attached in the front portion of the lever between sides 31B and 31C and next to the front end 31D. Attachment is by way of screws 35 which extend through the top plate 31A. A plurality of tines 37 are held in apertures formed in the block 33 and extend outward through apertures formed through the front end 31D of the lever. In the embodiment disclosed, five spaced apart tines 37 are provided.

A clean off member 41 is provided for cleaning the tines 37. It comprises a front plate 41A having a plurality of apertures 43 through which the tines 37 extend; a rearward extending portion 41B transverse to plate 41A; and a rear member 41C transverse to portion 41B. The apertures 43 are large enough such that the member 41 may slide from a rearward position next to the front end 31D of lever 31 as shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 to a forward position near the front ends of the tines 37 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. Clean off member 41 is urged to its rearward position by a spring 45 connected to member 41C and top plate 31A of the lever. Member 41C extends upward sufficient such that its rear side will be engaged by the lower portion 23A of the handle 23 to move the clean off plate 41A to its forward position when the handle 23 is pivoted forward as shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. When the handle 23 and the lever 31 are in the position shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4 end 23A of handle 23 is located out of engagement of member 41C whereby the spring 45 will pull the clean off member 41 to its rearward position wherein the rear surface of plate 41A abuts against the front end 31D of lever 31. The tines 37 act as guides for the member 41 as it is slid between its forward and rearward positions. A stop 47 extends from side 31B of lever 31 for engaging the rear end of arm 25C when the handle 23 and lever 31 are in the position shown in FIGS. 2 and 5 and prevents the handle 23 from being rotated further counterclockwise from that shown in FIGS. 2 and 5. Thus the stop 47 limits the forward position to which the clean off member 41 can be moved by the end 23A of the handle thereby preventing it from being moved off of the tines.

As shown in FIGS. 3-5, a torsion spring 51 is located around bolt 29 and has one end 51A which engages lower support member 25E and an opposite 51B which engages the under side of the top plate 31A of lever 31 and urges the lever to the start or ready position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4.

In use, the lever 31 is allowed to assume the start position as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 whereby the tines 37 extend down below the lower support portion 25E of the handle 23. The user then places his foot on the rear end 31E of the lever 31 and applies downward linear pressure in the direction of arrow 53 to insert the tines 37 into the ground until the lower support member 25E engages the ground. While holding the handle 23 upright, the user then applies a downward rotational force to the rear end 31E of the lever 31 with his foot, as shown by arrow 55, to move the rear end 31E of the lever 31 down and its front end up as shown in FIG. 5. This action removes the plants caught between the tines from the ground. The user next rotates the handle in the direction as shown by arrow 57 in FIG. 5 to move the clean off plate 41A forward to clean the plants, dirt, etc. from the tines.

In the preferred embodiment, the tines extend outward beyond the front end 31D about 21/4 inches and are spaced from each other at a distance not less than 1/4 of an inch nor greater than 1 inch whereby the device may be employed to remove small plants that grow in the yard. Preferrably the tines are formed of stainless steel. Although a wooden block 33 is employed for holding the tines, it is to be understood that the block can be formed of other types of material. The handle 23 preferably is about 42 inches long.

Although the end 23A of the handle 23 is employed for moving the clean off member forward, it is to be understood that suitable structure may be coupled to arms 25C and 25D for performing the same function. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for removing plants from the ground, comprising:handle means adapted to be held by a person, lever means pivotally coupled to an end portion of said handle means for pivotal movement between first and second positions relative to said handle means, said lever means having a rear end and a front end, a plurality of spaced apart tines connected to the front end of said lever means and extending therefrom for insertion into the ground for removing plants from the ground, clean off means having a plurality of apertures for receiving said plurality of tines respectively, said clean off means being movable along said tines between a rearward position near said front end of said lever means and a forward position near the front ends of said tines, when said lever means is in said first position said handle means being out of engagement with said clean off means, means for urging said clean off means toward said rearward position, when said lever means is located in said first position, said clean off means is located in said rearward position and said tines extend beyond the end of said end portion of said handle means whereby said tines may be inserted into the ground by applying pressure to said rear end of said lever means with one's foot, said handle means comprising structure adapted to engage said clean off means and move said clean off means to said forward position for removing plants, dirt, etc. from said tines as said handle means is pivoted, relative to said lever means, in a direction to move said structure of said handle means forward.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising:spring means coupled between said lever means and said end portion of said handle means for urging said lever means to said first position.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: said means for urging said clean off means toward said rearward position comprises a spring means coupled between said clean off means and said lever means.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein:said means for urging said clean off means toward said rearward position comprises a spring means coupled between said clean off means and said lever means, said spring means coupled between said clean off means and said lever means being separate from said spring means coupled between said lever means and said end portion of said handle means.
 5. An apparatus for removing plants from the ground, comprising:elongated handle means including support structure attached to an end thereof, said handle means having a front side and a rear side, lever means pivotally coupled to said support structure of said handle means for pivotal movement between first and second positions relative to said handle means, said lever means having a rear end and a front end which extend forward and rearward of said front and rear sides of said handle means respectively when said lever means is in said first or second positions, a plurality of spaced apart tines connected to the front end of said lever means and extending forward therefrom for insertion into the ground for removing plants from the ground, clean off means having a plurality of apertures for receiving said plurality of tines, respectively, said clean off means being slidable on said tines between a rearward position near said front end of said lever means an a forward position near the front ends of said tines, when said lever means is in said first position said handle means being out of engagement with said clean off means, means for urging said clean off means toward said rearward position, when said lever means is located in said first position, said clean off means is located in said rearward position and said tines extend beyond the end of said support structure of said handle means whereby said tines may be inserted into the ground by applying pressure to said rear end of said lever means with one's foot, when said tines are inserted into the ground, the end of said support structure of said handle means is adapted to rest on the ground whereby said lever means may be pivoted, relative to said hand means, from said first position toward said second position by applying downward pressure with one's foot to said rear end of said lever means to remove said tines from the ground and plants caught between said tines, said handle means having a portion adapted to engage structure of said clean off means and move said clean off means to said forward position for removing plants, dirt, etc. from said tines as said handle means is pivoted, relative to said lever means, in a direction to move said portion of said handle means forward.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, comprising:spring means coupled between said lever means and said support structure of said handle means for urging said lever means to said first position.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein:said means for urging said clean off means toward said rearward position comprises spring means coupled to said clean off means and to said lever means.
 8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein:said means for urging said clean off means toward the rearward position comprises spring means coupled to said clean off means and said lever means, said spring means coupled to said clean off means and said lever means being separate from said spring means coupled between said lever means and said support structure.
 9. The apparatus of claims 5, 6, 7 or 8, wherein:said support structure comprises two spaced apart arms having first ends attached to said handle means and second ends joined together by a transverse portion defining an opening, said lever means being located in said opening and pivotally coupled to said two spaced apart arms, said clean off means comprising:a first portion transverse to the length of said tines and having said apertures formed therethrough for receiving said tines, a second portion transverse to said first portion and adapted to move next to the top surface of said lever means as said clean off means is moved between said rearward and forward positions, and said structure adapted to be engaged by said portion of said handle means, said structure adapted to be engaged by said portion of said handle means being transverse to said second portion and extending from said second portion in a direction opposite the direction from which said first portion extends from said second portion, said portion of said handle means which is adapted to engage said structure of said clean off means extending from said handle means into said opening. 